Ladders have many uses in the construction industry including framing, house siding, painting, window installation, and roofing. As is known, there are variety of types of ladders designed for the specific project at hand. For example, extension ladders allow a user to research high locations. Typically, an extension ladder incorporates lower and upper telescoping sections. More specifically, the rails of the top or fly ladder are positioned between the rails of the lower or base ladder. Brackets at the upper ends of rails of the base ladder maintain the base and fly ladders together. A ratcheting device engages the rungs of the fixed ladder to prevent the fly ladder from sliding down the base ladder. As described, the sections of the extension ladder can be slid together for storage or slid apart to maximize the length of the ladder.
In order to allow a user the ability to carry loads up and down a ladder, various devices have been developed. By way of example, British Patent No. 2,420,819 discloses a manual hoist for use with a ladder. The hoist includes a slidably displaceable member having a means for supporting a load to be elevated. More specifically, the displaceable member includes a plate assembly which surrounds the ladder and has rollers which bear against the stiles. A selectively releasable locking means is provided for locking the assembly against downward movement during a load lifting operation. The locking means includes a hook-like plate biased toward the rungs and a ring which is attached to a hoisting cable that which passes over an upper pulley and down to a winch fixedly attachable adjacent the base of the ladder. The device may carry the load either on the outside of the ladder or between the ladder and a building against which it leans.
While functional for its intended purpose, the hoist disclosed in the '819 patent is intended to be used with a straight ladder. Hence, the hoist in the '819 patent does not contemplate the various transfer points at the ends of the sections of an extension ladder. As a result, if used on an extension ladder, the hoist disclosed in the '819 patent is usable on only one of the sections thereof. Alternatively, gas-powered hoists are also available. Similar to manual hoists, the gas-powered hoists are intended to be used in connection with straight ladders and cannot be used in connection with extension ladders. Further, the cost of gas-powered hoists is significant.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a ladder accessory that aids a user in the transport of supplies up and down an extension ladder.
It is a further object and future of the present invention to provide a ladder accessory for aiding a user in the transport of supplies up and down an extension ladder that is simple to utilize and inexpensive to manufacture.
It is a further object and future of the present invention to provide a ladder accessory for aiding a user in the transport of supplies up and down an extension ladder that moves through the transition points of the base and fly ladders.
It is a still further object and future of the present invention to provide a ladder accessory for aiding a user in the transport of supplies up and down an extension ladder that allows a user to maintain at least three points of contact on an extension ladder through the ladder accessory at all times.
It is a still further object and future of the present invention to provide a ladder accessory for aiding a user in the transport of supplies up and down an extension ladder that automatically locks to the ladder and prevents unwanted downward movement of the load if the user loses his or her grip of the ladder accessory.
In accordance with the present invention, a device is provided for aiding a user in transporting a load up and down a ladder assembly. The ladder assembly includes a fly ladder slidably connected to a base ladder. Each ladder includes first and second spaced rails interconnected by a plurality of spaced rungs. The device includes a first base leg slideably engageable with a first side of the first rail of the base ladder and a second base leg slideably engageable with a second side of the first rail of the base ladder. A first fly leg is slideably engageable with a first side of the first rail of the fly ladder and a second fly leg is slideably engageable with a second side of the first rail of the fly ladder.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a device is provided for aiding a user in transporting a load up and down a ladder assembly. The ladder assembly includes a fly ladder slidably connected to a base ladder. Each ladder includes first and second spaced rails interconnected by a plurality of spaced rungs. The device includes a frame assembly having a first subframe positionable adjacent the first rail of the base ladder and a second subframe positionable adjacent the second rail of the base ladder. A first base leg and a first base arm are operatively connected to the first subframe and define a first track for receiving the first rail of the base ladder therebetween. A first fly leg and a first fly arm are also operatively connected to the first subframe and define a first track for receiving the first rail of the fly ladder therebetween.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a device is provided for aiding a user in transporting a load up and down a ladder assembly. The ladder assembly includes a fly ladder slidably connected to a base ladder. Each ladder includes first and second spaced rails interconnected by a plurality of spaced rungs. The device includes a frame assembly having a first subframe positionable adjacent the first rail of the base ladder and a second subframe positionable adjacent the second rail of the base ladder. A first base leg and a first base arm are operatively connected to the first subframe and define a first track for receiving the first rail of the base ladder therebetween. A second base leg and a second base arm are operatively connected to the second subframe assembly and define a second track for receiving the second rail of the base ladder therebetween. A first fly leg and a first fly arm are operatively connected to the first subframe and define a first track for receiving the first rail of the fly ladder therebetween. A second fly leg and a second fly arm are operatively connected to the second subframe and define a second track for receiving the second rail of the fly ladder therebetween. A first rung lock mechanism is pivotably connected to the first subframe. The first rung lock mechanism is movable between a first disengaged position and a second engaged position wherein the first rung lock mechanism engages a user selected rung and prevents the frame assembly from sliding in a downward direction along the ladder assembly.